Streetcars and Recovery: An Analysis of Post Hurricane Katrina Building Permits Around New Orleans Streetcar Lines

Abstract

The potential of traditional streetcars to influence development and reinvestment in urban neighborhoods is explored through a review of the planning literature and a GIS-based spatial analysis of post-Hurricane Katrina commercial and residential building permits in areas of New Orleans surrounding streetcar stops. Controlling for the city’s damage assessment, proximity to significant commercial areas and the central business district, as well as pre-storm demographic variables, a multiple regression analysis finds significantly higher frequencies of commercial building permits near streetcar stops both in downtown and neighborhood areas than in areas more distant from stops. Residential permits are found to decrease in frequency in the areas closest to neighborhood streetcar stops by a similar amount as commercial permits increase. Potential policy implications are suggested.